Physical Activity Promotion Through Primary Care

DESPITE THE MANY BENEFITS OF physical activity, initiation and maintenance rates in the general population are disappointing. The majority of US adults are either completely inactive or do not meet the recommended guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 times per week or at least 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 times per week. Recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey suggest that 27.6% of adults perform no activity, 46.2% perform some activity, and 26.2% meet recommendations. Physical activity levels of US adolescents also are problematic. About 14% of adolescents report no recent physical activity and nearly half are not active enough to gain the benefits of regular physical activity. Furthermore, physical activity declines significantly as age and school grade increase. For example, 69% of children between the ages of 12 to 13 years are active at a vigorous intensity 3 days during a typical week, whereas only 38% of young adults 18 to 21 years are active at the same level. As a result, the promotion of regular physical activity for all age groups has been designated a national health priority.